VIJAYAWADA: After winning public confidence through people-friendly governance, and a balance between welfare and development in 2025, the coalition government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has set ambitious goals for 2026.
The focus for the coming year includes resolving revenue issues, providing dispute-free land to farmers, expanding welfare and development programmes, boosting wealth creation and accelerating industrial growth.
During 2025, the coalition government fulfilled the majority of its election promises, with the “Super Six” schemes emerging as major successes. Under the Talliki Vandanam scheme, Rs 10,090 crore was directly credited to mothers’ accounts, benefiting 67.27 lakh students. The Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme for women, launched on August 15, recorded 3.25 crore journeys at a cost of Rs 1,144 crore, and was later extended to persons with disabilities.
Farmer welfare remained a priority, with Rs 6,310 crore credited to 46 lakh farmers under Annadata Sukhibhava. Through Deepam-2, three free LPG cylinders per year were provided to women, involving an expenditure of Rs 2,684 crore and the distribution of nearly two crore cylinders. Social security pensions crossed a historic milestone of Rs 50,000 crore in disbursements during the year. Under Matsyakara Bharosa, Rs 250 crore was distributed to 1.25 lakh fishermen.
Other welfare initiatives included assistance to auto drivers, honorariums for pastors, Imams and Muejjins, enhanced salaries for priests and Nayee Brahmins, and a monthly honorarium for junior lawyers. Minority welfare spending touched Rs 3,670 crore. The government also revived Anna Canteens, reopening 204 canteens that have served over four crore meals so far.
On employment, the government moved towards its promise of creating 20 lakh jobs by conducting a Mega DSC to recruit 15,491 teachers and completing the recruitment of 5,757 police constables. Stipends for trainee constables were enhanced, while gratuity benefits were extended to Anganwadi workers and ASHAs.
Economically, Andhra Pradesh recorded a double-digit growth rate of 11.28 per cent. Industrial growth gained momentum, particularly in IT and AI-driven data centres. Visakhapatnam is emerging as a global IT hub with investments from Google, Cognizant, TCS and other majors. IT Minister Nara Lokesh played a key role in bringing these investments. The State introduced 23 new industrial policies and became the first to open escrow accounts for industrial incentives. The CII Summit in Visakhapatnam resulted in 610 MoUs, attracting Rs 13.25 lakh crore in investments with potential to create over 16 lakh jobs. Capital construction in Amaravati accelerated with investments exceeding Rs 50,000 crore, while initiatives such as Quantum Valley took shape. Infrastructure and irrigation projects, including Handri-Neeva canal expansion and Polavaram, progressed rapidly. The government procured over 34 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, ensured prompt payments to farmers, implemented power sector reforms and attracted Rs 3 lakh crore in clean energy investments.
With Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan’s initiative, Panchayat Raj was revitalised through village roads, Gram Sabhas, tribal connectivity, 4G access and water projects worth Rs 3,050 crore. Irrigation works, swift paddy procurement, revenue and power reforms, and Rs 3 lakh crore clean energy investments strengthened rural and farm economies.
With a three-region master plan covering Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati, revival of central schemes and expansion of districts from 26 to 28, the government has positioned itself for an aggressive development push in 2026.